"Many confuse [mathematics] with arithmetic, and consider it an arid science. In reality, however, it is a science which requires a great amount of imagination." — Sofia Kovalevskaya

Carpe aestas

Freedom is just around the corner–four more wake-ups and your summer begins. Aaaah Summer! That glorious time for you to work on your extended essay, continue your CAS project, perfect your college essay, dive into your English/Chemistry/History summer reads, bone up on your math skills…

Wait…What?! You want me to work?!!

No, not me. I don’t want you to work. I want you to seize the heck out of this summer:

Go someplace you’ve never been before

Make memories with your family and friends

Make new friends

Be alone

Read for the fun of it and read some more

Climb a tree

Make something; make lots of things

Make music

Learn a new skill

Find time to exercise

Swim wherever you find water

Go to a museum

Stay up late

Sleep in

Run barefoot through grass; and mud, too

Climb a mountain, get into the woods

Skip rocks

Seek opportunities to give back, to pay it forward

Drink ice-cold lemonade, ice-cold beer, and LOTS of water

Yes, there are things you’ll have to do: keep your room clean, help around the house, get a job–cash is nice to have, be nice to your sister or brother, and complete those summer assignments from school (I guess).

If you’re worried about your math skills and want to do something to improve, don’t do math. Don’t do math. Do puzzles. Logic puzzles, Sudoku, Kakuro, crosswords, word games, more logic puzzles. Do them alone–recognize that you have the power. Do them with others–discover the joys of working together. Do them online or do them from a book. Train your brain to think and to problem solve. Enjoy the satisfaction of struggling to find a solution. But please, don’t do math.